Shuttle feeler for looms



July 25, E H. MZYK ET AL 3,332,452

SHUTTLE FEELER FOR LOOMS Filed July 2, 1965 INVENTORS HEINRICH MZYK PETER PINKERT P v, 3,332,452 Ice Patented July as, we?

3,332,452 SHUTTLE FEELER FOR LOOMS Heinrich Mzyk, Karl-Marx-Stadt, and Peter Pinkert,

Grossenhain, Germany, assignors to Veb Webstuhlbau Grossenhain, Grossenhain, Germany Filed July 2, 1965, Ser. No. 469,290 13 Claims. (Cl. 139-341) The present invention relates to shuttle feelers for textile looms, and more particularly to a feeler having an axially movable feeler pin. The pin extends substantially horizontally and at right angles to the path of the shuttle, and can be inserted or pushed into the box cell so as to feel the shuttle of the loom.

In known shuttle feelers of this type, a feeler pin is held in the operating position by means of a spring and extends across a claw of a restoring lever guided by an eccentric disc, the lever holding the feeler pin in its inoperative position up to the moment of contact. Associated with the restoring lever is furthermore a springloaded swivel bolt which stands at a small distance in front of the restoring lever, releasing it only in the absence of a shuttle, the swivel bolt being then released by the feeler pin.

The restoring lever and particularly the swivel bolt associated therewith are necessary in order to avoid the unwanted entrance of the feeler pin into the box cell since this could easily lead to fracture. This danger exists, however, if the feeler pin, due to the absence of the shuttle, has moved properly into the operating position, and the shuttle enters the box belatedly.

For this reason the shuttle is no longer contacted directly by the feeler pin but a conventional swivel flap has been assigned to the latter. These known shuttle feelers are, therefore, very complicated and are not only relatively expensive but also subject to troubles.

It is the object of the invention to eliminate the aforementioned disadvantages by allowing the feeler pin to contact the shuttle directly without any danger of fracture.

It is one of the important features of the invention that a feeler pin is provided which is mounted above the top of the shuttle for rotation about its longitudinal axis, the pin being equipped with a lug or bit extending down to the top of the shuttle for feeling the latter, a spring being furthermore provided which holds the feeler pin in the rotational position in which the bit points down.

Owing to this feature, the restoring lever as well as the swivel bolt and flap mentioned above are unnecessary, since the shuttle can no longer be the cause of fractures or damages of the shuttle feeler. The reason for this is that the feeler pin, should it for some reason be in the way of the entering shuttle, will turn away by contact of the shuttle with the feeler-pin bit. The shuttle can then pass unhindered under the feeler pin.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more fully understood from the following description and the appended claims, when considered in conjunction with the attached drawings, where- FIG. 1 is a partly sectional side elevation of a shuttle feeler according to the invention, showing the feeler pin in the operating position;

FIG. 2 is the top view of the arrangement according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial view, without the shuttle, taken in the direction of line 33 of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 is a top view, similar to that of FIG. 2, of an alternative embodiment of the inventive shuttle feeler.

The first, preferred embodiment of the shuttle feeler according to the invention is shown in FIGS. 1 through 3. The arrangement comprises a shuttle box 2 having a recess 4 for the movement of a shuttle 6. A support block 8 is fastened to the box 2 by conventional means, e.g. screw bolts, as shown. The block 8 has two bearing lugs, 8a and 8b, in which is journaled a feeler pin 10. The latter is reciprocable in a direction substantially at right angles with respect to the path of shuttle 6, shown by an arrow in FIG. 2, and also rotatable within certain limits, as will be explained later in more detail.

A compression spring 12 is provided between lug 8a and an adjustable collar 14 surrounding pin 10. Spring 12 urges pin 10 into the inoperative position, away from the path of shuttle 6, this position being determined by another adjustable stop collar 16 around pin 10, abutting lug 8b. Conventional set screws may be used for securing collars 14 and 16 against longitudinal movement with respect to pin 10.

The pin 10 is urged into the operating position, indicated in FIG. 2 with broken lines, in contact with shuttle 6, by a cam 18 acting on a crank 20 through a roller 22. When a recessed portion 18a of cam 18 registers with roller 22, during the rotation of a supporting shaft 24, a tension spring 26 which is stronger than the aforementioned compression spring 12 urges roller 22 against cam 18, and feeler pin 10 to the left-hand side, as viewed in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 through a flap 28 and an adjusting screw 30 passed through the upper end portion of crank 20. The flap 28 is journaled in a lateral flange portion 2a of shuttle box 2. The angular movement of crank 211 rotates a control shaft 32 which makes the loom stop by conventional means 33 shown schematically in FIG. 1.

Actual contact between the pin 10 and a shuttle 6 is by way of a lug 10a which protrudes from the side of pin 10 in a downward direction, as viewed in the drawing, below the top surface of shuttle 6. For holding the lug 10a in a substantially vertical position, as shown in FIG. 3, a tension spring 34 is secured with one end to a stationary member (e.g. block 8 or a portion of shuttle box 2), while the other end is attached to a peg 36 radially protruding from pin 10.

In FIG. 3, the outer end of spring 34 and its attachment have been omitted; it will, however, be clear how the tension toward the right-hand side, as viewed in the drawing, will urge lug 10a against a stop 38 provided in a recess 2b of the shuttle box. There is a slight clearance between the lower edge of lug 10a and the recess 2b, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

The shuttle feeler according to the invention, and illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, operates as follows:

At the moment when shuttle 6 enters box 2, the inner dwell 18a of cam 18 arrives under roller 22 so that the crank is capable of moving pin 10 into the afore-mentioned operating position, by virtue of spring 26 acting thereon.

If the shuttle did not move to the location in front of lug 10a, as shown in FIG. 2, pin 10 is free to move to the left, so that crank 20 makes an angular movement and control shaft 32 rotates to a degree sufiicient to disconnect or stop the loom.

If, however, the shuttle had already reached the said location opposite the path of pin 10, lug 10a will bear against the back of the shuttle so that roller 22 skips the recess 18a, as shown in FIG. 1. If the shuttle is missing during the feeling or testing procedure, the pin is brought under any circumstances into the operating position.

However, if the shuttle 6 is late and still enters the box, it will strike against the lug 10a and rotates the latter, against the action of spring 34, pin 10 performing a counter-clockwise movement, as viewed in FIG. 3. The pin 10 can thus remain in the axial operating position, the lug 10a being narrow enough to be accommodated above the entering shuttle without being pushed back.

A second, modified embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 4, being a View similar to that of FIG. 2. The shuttle feeler, in this case, does not have the stop 38 shown in the first embodiment; however, another tension spring 34' is connected to the peg 36, its extreme or outer end being again held by a stationary member of the machine. Springs 34 and 34- will hold lug 10a in a substantially vertical position, pointing downward, with resilient action provided against axial twist in either direction. In this case the danger of fracture is avoided even with the shuttle running all the way into the box, should the feeler pin be unintentionally in the operating (forward) position.

It will be understood that in the drawings, a looper shuttle has been shown as a matter of example. The inventive shuttle guard can, of course, be used in looms having a different type of shuttle, e.g. one carrying a weft bobbin.

The foregoing disclosure relates only to preferred, exemplary embodiments of the invention, and it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the examples described which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention, as set forth in the zip pended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A shuttle feeler for a loom having a shuttle box, a shuttle reciprocable in a recess of said box along a predetermined path, and means for stopping the operation of the loom comprising, in combination, a feeler pin reciprocable in a direction substantially perpendicular to said shuttle path, a terminal portion of said pin forming a lug protruding substantially vertically into said path, and means for holding said lug in the vertical position but allowing lateral angular deflection out of said path.

2. A shuttle feeler as defined in claim 1, further comprising journaling means for said pin attached to said box, and at least one adjustable collar means releasably secured to said pin for determining a limit of the longitudinal reciprocation thereof.

3. A shuttle feeler as defined in claim 1, further comprising first biasing means for urging said pin toward said path and second biasing means, somewhat weaker than said first biasing means, for urging said pin away from said path.

4. A shuttle feeler as defined in claim 3, further comprising crank means interposed between said first biasing means and said pin, said stopping means being operatively connected with said crank means.

5. A shuttle feeler as defined in claim 4, further com prising a flap which can be manually and optionally interposed between said crank means and said pin.

6. A shuttle feeler as defined in claim 5, wherein said crank means includes adjusting means allowing to regulate the position thereof with respect to said flap.

7. A shuttle feeler as defined in claim 1, wherein said holding means includes a tension spring acting upon said pin from the direction opposite to that from where said shuttle approaches the shuttle guard.

8. A shuttle feeler as defined in claim 7, further comprising stop means adjacent said lug and rigid with said box, and being located on the side of said pin opposite to that from where said tension spring acts.

9. A shuttle feeler as defined in claim 1, wherein said holding means includes a pair of tension springs acting upon said pin from directions opposite to each other and substantially perpendicular to the direction of reciprocation of said pin.

10. A shuttle feeler as defined in claim 1, further comprising a pair of spaced-apart journals rigid with said boX and allowing reciprocation of said pin therein, an adjustable stop member around said pin, and a compression spring interposed between one of said journals and said stop member for urging said pin away from said path.

11. A shuttle feeler as defined in claim 10, wherein the axis of said pin is outside said path, said lug being capable of angular movement out of said path when hit by the approaching shuttle.

12. A shuttle feeler as defined in claim 1, further comprising control means for said pin, including a rotatable earn, a bell crank having a roller on one arm adjacent the periphery of said cam, the other arm of said crank being in operative connection with said pin, and a tension spring acting on said crank so as to urge said roller toward said cam and said pin toward said path.

13. A shuttle feeler as defined in claim 12, further comprising a compression spring around said pin for urging the same away from said path, said compression spring being weaker than said tension spring.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 827,937 8/1906 ODonnell 139341 X 3,124,166 3/1964 Pfarrwaller 139-341 X FOREIGN PATENTS 613,526 8/1926 France. 1,348,228 11/ 1963 France.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

J. KEE CHI, Assistant Examiner; 

1. A SHUTTLE FEELER FOR A LOOM HAVING A SHUTTLE BOX, A SHUTTLE RECIPROCABLE IN A RECESS OF SAID BOX ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH, AND MEANS FOR STOPPING THE OPERATION OF THE LOOM COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A FEELER PIN RECIPROCABLE IN A DIRECTION SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO SAID SHUTTLE PATH, A TERMINAL PORTION OF SAID PIN FORMING A LUG PROTRUDING SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY INTO SAID PATH, AND MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID LUG IN THE VERTICAL POSITION BUT ALLOWING LATERAL ANGULAR DEFLECTION OUT OF SAID PATH. 